Umbaran
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Galaxy of Intrigue The Umbarans hail from a hard-to-reach world deep within The Outer Rim's Ghost Nebula. Although they have been part of galactic civilization for millennia, very few Umbarans have left their home system, and even fewer have risen to positions of power and fame in the galaxy. Umbarans are interested in alien cultures and civilizations, but they prefer to observe from a distance rather than take an active role in events. During the rise of the Empire, the Umbarans spend a few decades moving through the halls of supreme political power. An Umbaran named Sly Moore serves as Palpatine's chief aide during his later years as Chancellor of the Republic and the earliest period of his reign as Emperor. Moore's prominence in galactic politics causes her to be so admired on her homeworld that she inspires other Umbarans to venture out into the rest of the galaxy. Many of them join Moore on Coruscant, and soon Umbarans are a common sight on that world. As Palpatine's New Order becomes increasingly biased toward Humans, Moore vanishes from the Emperor's side and moves into more shadowy roles within his government. From deep within the intelligence apparatus, she and other Umbarans lead efforts to root out anyone who is not unquestionably loyal to Emperor Palpatine, and they answer only to the Emperor. They are so effective that even Emperor Palpatine's most dedicated followers grow to fear them, something that strengthens the antialien sentiment among many of the Emperor's closest advisers. The Umbarans are particularly disliked by officers of Imperial Intelligence, who resent the fact that they are subject to Umbaran scrutiny- a resentment that grows every time the Umbarans unmask a Rebel double agent in their ranks. After the death of Emperor Palpatine and the collapse of his government, the Umbarans find themselves under threat from the Rebels they had hunted and the New Order supporters they had intimidated. When former head of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard forges a powerful coalition on Coruscant dedicated to reestablishing a strong Galactic Empire, the remaining Umbarans flee the planet, knowing that Isard will seek brutal revenge for the embarrassments they caused her organization when she was rising through the ranks of Imperial Intelligence. Even before the fall of the Empire, however, Umbarans already begin to retreat from the galaxy. As the full scope of Emperor Palpatine's evil becomes more evident and knowledge of the atrocities committed in his name more widespread, the Umbarans grow embarrassed over Moore's association with the Emperor, and they resume their reclusive ways. In fact, they withdraw even more fully than before, fearing retribution from the many Species surrounding them. As memories of the Empire start to fade in the minds of the galaxy's beings, Umbarans begin to filter back out into the galaxy in the low numbers typical of their off-world presence during the Old Republic. Umbaran Characteristics Personality: Umbarans seem aloof, distant, and cold to all but their closest friends and family members, and it is a rare observer who has the patience to wait for an Umbaran to let his or her guard down. As such, the few Umbarans active beyond their homeworld tend to be regarded by other beings as ciphers. Because of this emotional distance, many non-Umbarans mistakenly assume that Umbarans are indifferent to those around them. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although Umbarans keep their own affairs private, they constantly and quietly try to learn as much as they can about the affairs of others. The Umbaran knack for uncovering secrets has led to rumors that all members of the Species are telepaths, but the truth is that they move about unnoticed simply because of their outsider status, listening and observing all the while. Physical Description: Umbarans are thinly built humanoids with sunken eyes and pallid skin tones that range from snowy white to pale blue. Male Umbarans stand between 1.7 and 2 meters tall; females tend to be shorter and slighter of build. Average Height/Weight: A typical Umbaran stands at 1.7 meters tall and weighs 60 kilograms. Age Groups: Umbarans age at the following stages: Homeworld: Umbarans originate from the isolated, dark world of Umbara on The Outer Rim. Languages: Umbarans learn their own language of Umbarese in infancy, and most learn Basic before the end of their childhood. Example Names: Sly Moore, Hant Tuff, Zan Palton. Adventurers: Most Umbaran adventurers are hard-bitten loners who come off as antisocial in their interactions with others. They often work as bounty hunters, explorers, or administrators of remote facilities that are mostly automated . A few Umbarans have been known to work for intelligence organizations and corporations as spies, usually as "Deniable assets." Umbaran adventurers can be of any Heroic Class, although Scoundrels and Scouts dominate. Nobles tend to be the coldest and most unfriendly of Umbaran adventurers, since they typically harbor dark secrets that caused them to leave their homeworld under less-than-reputable circumstances. Umbaran Species Traits Umbarans share the following Species Traits: * Ability Modifiers: All Umbarans receive a +2 bonus to both their Dexterity and Wisdom, but suffer a -2 penalty to their Constitution. Umbarans are not as sturdy as many Species, but they are naturally stealthy and observant. * Medium Size: As medium creatures, Umbarans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. * Speed: Umbarans have a base speed of 6 squares. * Darkvision: '''Umbarans ignore Concealment (Including Total Concealment) from darkness. However, they cannot perceive colors in total darkness. * '''Stealthy: An Umbaran can choose to reroll any Stealth check, but the result of the reroll must be accepted, even if it is worse. * Conditional Bonus Feat: Umbarans are born observers, and they enjoy watching events from hidden vantage points. An Umbaran with Gather Information as a Trained Skill gains Skill Focus (Gather Information) as a bonus Feat. * Automatic Languages: All Umbarans can speak, read, and write both Basic and Umbarese. Category:Species Category:Umbarans